Reacquainted
by october tuscany
Summary: Oneshot - Draco and Astoria's reacquaintance, set a year or two after the fall of the Dark Lord, at a Christmas party.


**A/n: All right, I know I should be working on "Change in Plans," but Draco and Astoria just won't let me go. So I knew I had to write this one out. :D It's a one-shot about when they become reacquainted, a year or two after the war. I love love love this pairing, so I'm taking some time to write a story for them. There just aren't enough.**

**Disclaimer: It all belongs to JK Rowling, that wonderful woman. The plot is mine, but everything else belongs to her.**

Reacquainted

The party was not exactly up to the normal pure-blood – excuse me, _old blood_ – standards, but what with the war having been over for only a short time, leaving many bank accounts frozen and many barely-of-age young men still in jail, it would have to do. There were still scads of decorations for the holiday season; green, gold, red, and silver covered every surface, elegant evergreens bedecked the corners, mantelpiece, and wooden beams of the rooms' ceilings. A gigantic Christmas tree overflowed from the niche in the wall where the bay window was concealed, piled with presents wrapped in festive paper. The candles glinting around the house were white, held in silver candelabras set about on end tables, with larger ones propped on the floor. With the hundreds of candles, the rooms flickered with light over the young adults who stood, sat, or wandered about the house. The hostess went about, greeting each group and room of the house while swinging around the sitting room for a quick peck from her soon-to-be fiancé.

The party was a joint holiday and early birthday celebration for Daphne Greengrass, and she reveled in the people and the noise. A born entertainer, she had been trained throughout her life to be married to a wealthy, powerful man that had guests over for parties and dinners, and she lived in the style for practice until she actually married, she believed.

Draco Malfoy was bored, as he was slightly ostracized by the people he once led. Most in the room were from the house of Slytherin, like himself, and a few were from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, mostly as guests. He wasn't very popular with those amassed at the Greengrass home because of his mother's betrayal of those of the _old blood_, to be politically correct. She had switched sides in the middle of the most important battle of the war, and while the terror of the wizarding world had been defeated, those on his side had suffered for their allegiance.

All, that is, except for Narcissa Malfoy's family.

Yes, the patriarch had to serve some time in Azkaban for his offenses prior to Narcissa's deed, but neither Draco nor his mother were prosecuted. The only people who had known of his mission during his sixth year were either dead or had forgotten about it, or, in the case of Harry Potter, decided that he had been through enough, and since he hadn't succeeded, it was best left alone.

So, while many of Draco's former friends and comrades' parents had been sent to Azkaban for war crimes or treason or hate crimes or murder, his family got off very lightly. And they were not pleased with the Malfoys. He had been very close to shock when he had received the invitation via owl from Daphne, as he hadn't really talked to many people in the time since the final battle, and hadn't left his home for much more than work, visits to his father, dinner out with his mum, and to go to the pub to drown his miseries; even when he was in those moods, he preferred his misery to flounder slowly at home, with his own exquisite hard liquor.

He'd said his hellos to the people who still claimed him, including the hostess, and was in search of somewhere to park his sorry backside for the rest of the night, leaving at a respectable time and not really talking to anyone.

He noticed as he entered the front hall that there was a door, across to the left from his current position outside the sitting room that was ajar, in contrast to the other wide-open doors down the rest of the hallway. He could see the ballroom to his right, with couples twirling about to the wireless that Daphne had set up on the floor, and the library near the almost-closed door, where candles had been set in a pathway through the bookcases.

Moving quietly down the hall, he hoped that no one else had noticed the room, wanting somewhere to sit and not have to deal with the wizard race for a few hours.

He pushed the door open silently, noticing the worn stone steps heading down into what had to be the kitchen. His own home, Malfoy Manor, had a very similar set-up. His ancestors had obviously set a precedent as to the style in which a proper pure- excuse me, _old blood_ family's home should be built. He made his way softly down the steps, ending in a long stone room lit by a large fireplace and candles set in more crude candelabras than those decorative ones on the tables up in the main part of the house. Over to one side of the fireplace, which was impressively set directly across from the stairs, was a long stone countertop. There was a dish sink and faucet set in the counter, and standing at it was a girl of average height, her back to the stairs and Draco, washing up pots and pans.

She turned her face towards the fire and swiped at her hair before returning her attention to the large, double-handled pan in the soapy water. Draco thought, from her profile, that she had an unconventional sort of beauty. Her dark hair was pulled back into a pony-tail and stuck out at odd angles, most likely from the water she was coming into contact with and the heat of the kitchen. She was wearing a black dress with an apron over it, protecting from splashes and spills.

Approaching her, he put on his best charming voice – though many might argue that it's a bit sleazy – and murmured, "What's a pretty little thing like you doing down here in the kitchen?"

Leaning against the counter to her left, he saw her pursed lips and determination to ignore him. With a smirk, he said, "What, never been spoken to by a man of my rank before? It's all right; I know that some people of a lesser blood status can be intimidated by me." He saw her snort.

Turning to face him, she cocked a hip and retorted, "Did this last war mean absolutely nothing to you? Teach you nothing about that blood purity nonsense?" Throwing up her hands, she shook her head, turning back to the sink. "You know what? Never mind. I honestly have more important things to do than argue with you about silly things like that."

Grasping her wrist, he yanked her around to face him. "Look, you little crazy, do you have any idea who I am?"

With a roll of her brilliant blue eyes, she replied, "Of course I do. Now can I get back to work? There are nearly a hundred people upstairs, and I still have to ice the cookies."

He looked her up and down, studying her face and frame. "You know, you really are too pretty to be doing work. What are you doing down here? Wouldn't it be better for you to be upstairs serving for the Greengrasses, instead of down here slaving over the fire?"

She shrugged. "You know as well as me about the new laws. Elves are to work under union conditions, including fair pay, and many families have come upon hard times. I'm sure you can understand." Cocking her head slightly to the side, she reconsidered, "Or perhaps not. I've heard that many other families are not as pleased with their lot as you are with yours."

He retreated from her, pulling his hand back. She returned to her work.

After a few moments of him watching the candlelight flicker across her face and hair, he quietly said, "Just because they didn't take all my money or send me to prison doesn't mean I didn't suffer from this. My family has been broken and my pride has been also. No one here wants me besides Daphne, the hostess, and even for her it's just for old time's sake."

"Oh yes, because your _pride _is so important in comparison to other people's source of livelihood. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, for this fantastic lesson in wizarding logic." He glowered at her from under his fringe, leaning against the mantelpiece. With a sigh, she laid the pan she had rinsed to the side to dry. "Look, I understand it's been a hard year or so for everyone. Just, please, let me get my work done in peace. I really have a lot to do."

He moved to the table set beside the door and sat in a high-backed wooden chair. "Did you go to Hogwarts?"

With another sigh, she nodded, washing off cookie sheets.

"What year were you in during the final battle? I don't recall you from my year."

"Fifth."

He cocked his head to the side. That made this pretty girl only two years his junior. He liked that idea, even if she was maybe only a half-blood. If she were only a Mu- muggleborn, then he'd have some fun teasing her.

"What house were you in? I can see you in blue or red. Were you a smarty-pants or a bold fool?"

She spun on her heel, grabbing a towel to dry up the pans she had washed. Staring him down, she said, "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? And why would that be?"

Just as she was about to retort, they heard the door swing open upstairs and a joyful cry of, "As_tor_ia!" floated down to them, followed by the green-clad Daphne, arms full of silver bangles and curly, dark blonde hair piled into a bun on her head. The girls were the same height and had such similar features that Draco was surprised he hadn't noticed before.

"Tori, you wouldn't believe it! Theo, he says has - "

"Daphne, you said you wouldn't let any of your guests down here to bother me while I worked. It seems one has escaped your clutches." Astoria sighed, gesturing towards Draco with the large pan she was holding.

Surprised, Daphne spun around. "Draco! What on earth are you doing down here? The party is _upstairs_, silly."

He shrugged. "Your sister's company is so… engaging. I was merely looking for somewhere to sit for awhile and happened upon her. I must say I am enjoying it most thoroughly."

Daphne Greengrass is many things, but most importantly, she is sister that is very close with her baby sibling. Stepping in between the two, she sent a glare towards Draco. "I swear, if you're messing with my sister, Malfoy, I'll make you wish you had never seen a female in your life." Behind the fiery blonde, Draco could see Astoria's eye roll and slight smirk of pleasure from being defended by her sister.

"Oh, please, Daph, I'm just talking to her." Lazily tipping his chair back, he braced his feet against the table's edge.

Astoria sighed, lightly grabbing Daphne's arm. "Really, it's fine. He's not bothering me too much. Go ahead, back to the party."

"But Tori - "

"Daphne, I'm fine. _Besides_, it's your party. Your guests will want to see you. Go have fun with Theo and the others." She smiled at her sister, and gently pushed her back towards the stairs.

Daphne huffed. "All right, all right. I know when I'm not wanted, you little brat." Astoria smirked. "Just be careful," she added in an undertone, "I know he's changed, maybe. But inside he's still the same old Malfoy that ran around Hogwarts." With a swish of her party dress, Daphne mounted the stairs to rejoin the party.

Astoria finished drying the pans and moved to the other side of the counter where rack after rack of Christmas cookies lay, next to a can of milk and a large container of sugar, and a bowl.

"Daphne's a great girl. I noticed that when we went to school together." Draco watched Astoria's slow nod as she began mixing the icing. "She must really love you to warn off eligible bachelors like myself."

"She's just looking out for me." She began picking up cookies and sliding the icing across the tops, ending in a little swirl. "It won't hinder whatever your silly little plans are, I'm sure."

He sat for awhile and watched as she worked. He wasn't used to seeing wizards do things by hand, especially a woman of the _old blood_, and he was fascinated by it. Without thinking, he moved to the counter space that she was working on and watched as she shifted across the area, reaching for cookies and bringing them to herself to spread icing on.

"You're an interesting girl, you know that, Astoria?"

She shrugged.

"How about dinner next Friday, celebrate the New Year early with me?"

She looked up at him slowly, smiled, and then offered him a cookie. "Perhaps."

**A/n: Oh, how I love D/A. And Christmas cookies. Mostly the cookies, but the pairing is so cute. :D**

**Hope you're enjoying the season.**


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